The U.S. Supreme Court continues to adjust its schedule as it sees fit in response to the COVID-19 novel coronavirus pandemic. On Monday, the High Court announced that it was postponing oral arguments that were supposed to occur between March 23-25 and March 30-April 1.
The postponement affects oral arguments in a case of great interest to President Donald Trump: the ongoing battle for his tax returns. Arguments had been set for March 31.
“The Court will examine the options for rescheduling those cases in due course in light of the developing circumstances,” the Supreme Court’s Office of Public Information said in a statement obtained by Law&Crime.
SCOTUS will still hold a scheduled conference on Friday, however.
“Some Justices may participate remotely by telephone,” the Court allowed. It was not specified that Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg would be among those participating remotely, but that seems likely.
The Public Information Office also noted that a postponement of oral arguments is not without precedent (stare decisis?).
“The Court’s postponement of argument sessions in light of public health concerns is not unprecedented. The Court postponed scheduled arguments for October 1918 in response to the Spanish flu epidemic,” the announcement said. “The Court also shortened its argument calendars in August 1793 and August 1798 in response to yellow fever outbreaks.”
Last week, the Supreme Court announced that its building would be closed to the public until further notice.
[Image via Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images]
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